It's no exaggeration to say the boss and I had a fright today, at this junction
goo.gl/maps/e0Dan
on the A5, at the Long Buckby turn.
Travelling south as I approached at maybe 50, I recollect three cars - one waiting to turn right out of the road on my left, one ahead of me on the A5 turning into the same road, and the third facing me, waiting in the centre of the road to turn into it.
I didn't like the look of it, so covered the brake, took a good two handed quarter to three grip on the tiller, and put a thumb on the horn pad.
The one ahead turned, and the others seemed to be staying put, then at the last moment the one in the middle of the road turned across me.
What a difference a bit of observation and anticipation made. Simultaneous heavy braking, steering round the back of it and a redundant blast on the horn. We missed it by inches I'm certain. Had I just braked I would have hit it amidships; had I not been ready to brake I would surely have hit it anyway. I really wouldn't have fancied that in a 14 year old MX5.
The boss has a bruised left arm from the braking and the swerve. For a moment I thought about turning round and giving chase, but decided dragging somebody out of a car and banging their head against it would probably turn a drama into a crisis.
I'm actually quite pleased that my instincts seem still to be in order, after turning 60 a couple of weeks ago.
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